Automatic sprinkler system



Sept. 7 1926. 1,599,337

. A. J. LOEPSINGER AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER syswmu Original Filed y 1917 l 2206; ml 1' prises an air valve 5 carried by an arm 6. which is pivotally-mounted -within the valve Patented Slept. 7, 1926 ALBERT a. roersmenn. orraovznsnon,

EI-IODE rs'LANi),'As'sIG1\ioa, is? AssIGNMEN'rs, 'ro Grammar. FIREZEXTINGU SHER consular, oi PROVIDENCE,

RHODE ISLAND, A oonronarronor DELAWARE.

urel/mare SPRINKLER SYSTEM,

Original a lication-mediall 19, 1917, Serial No. 169,653." Divided 'andthis application filed Nolrembei r 26,1923. Serial m e'zepsi. f i l v My vinvention relates to dry-pipe automatic sprinkler systems, and resides in certain features which are hereinafter described as embodiedin' a sprinkler system wherein the dry-pipe valve comprises an air valve, a water valve and an intermediate chamber, and provision'is made for opening the valve .by admitting fluid under pressure to the intermediate chamber, this application beinga divisionof my prior application Serial No. 169,653, filed May 19, 1917, in which a system having the characteristics above referred to is described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing the figure illustrates such parts of a sprinkler system as will sufiicefor an understanding of my invention, the constructional features being shown partly in side elevation and partlyv I rectly connected internallyto the sprinkler in vertical section. a I

In the drawing, 2 indicates the lower portion of a riser, which may be assumed to form a part of a system of sprinkler pipes provided with the usual head's,.and 3 indi-' cates a dry-pipe valve interposed between the lower end of the riser 2 and the water supply pipe 4; The particular dry-pipe valve illustrated is constructed and adapted to operate in the manner shown and des'cribed'in U? S. Letters Patent No. 1,196,- 875, granted Septemberb, 1916, and comvalve 7 carried by the air valve 5,"and valvej'seats 8 and 9 on which the valves 5 and 7 are respectively seated under normal conditions and which are separated by an intermediate chamber 10. To' this chamber is connected, as is customary in dry-pipe valves, a normally-open casin a water drip" attachment 11 which takes care 3 of any leakage into the chamber 10 and automati-' cally closes when fluid under pressure enters the chamber. j

Between the intermediate chamber 10 and the water supply pipe 4 are connections consisting, in the construction illustrated', ofa receptacle 12 connected tot-he chamber 10 by a pipe 13 and to the supply pipe by a" pipe 14, these connect-ions being normally" closed by means of a valve 15, shown as a pivoted gravity valve located w1th1n the-recept'acle 12'. The receptacle 12 also'contains a weighted valve-openingleverj 16, nor mally maintained in upright 'posltion as hereinafter described and provided at its lower. end with a finger 17' located beneath the free end of the valve 1 5, so that when said lever fallsit opens the valve. Adjacent to the upper end ofthe lever 16-, and 11113081131011 to be engaged by'it, is located the downwardly-extending lower end of (a, movable member 18 consistingof a rigidbarinterposed between and connected to pipe system by means *of a pipe '21, while the other dev ce, 20, is connected internally to an'air pressure receptacle 22 which in turn is connected to the sprinkler pipe system by a pipe 23. r

v UN TE STAT-Es" PATENT The rate of flow of airthrough the pipe I 23 restricted by a-small orifice 241- through which the air has to pass and whichis of such size that while it is adequate'to maintain equal pressures in the sprinkler pipe system and the receptacle 22 in case leak age 'ofair from the system'occurs, it isincapable of keeping the pressures equal in case the pressure in the system is reduced by. the opening of one or more sprinkler heads. conditions the air" pressure in the s rinkler pipe system and the receptacle 22 are always the same, the opening of one or more Consequently, while under static,

sprinkler heads has. the effect of imme--,

diately unbalancing these pressures," "leaving the pressure in the'receptacle greater than that in the sprinkler pipe system, and'as a 3 result of the differential pressure thus crfeated the lbellows 20 lengthens and the bellows 1'9 shortens, thereby moving the bar 18 laterally.

ing 26 which is interposed between" there ceptacle 22 and the pipe 23 and is divided which enters the chamber '27, is" made hol-Z low and provided with lateral perforations c The orifice 24 is shown as formed in the inner end of aplug 25 screwed into. a c'asf the plug can be conveniently removed 2% so located that when the plug is in place they. communicate with an annular groove 3i) connected by a passage 31 with the chamber 28, the capacity of the several passages tov transit air being determined by the size of the orifice 2 1. \Vith this arrangement,

for the purpose of ins Jecting the condition of the orifice 24 and cleaning it in case it has become clogged by dirt blown into it from the sprinkler pipe system when the apparatus is charged with compressed air. in order to minimize the danger of clogging the orifice 241 the chamber 28 is preferably divided by a strainer 32 contained therein, through which the air has to pass before it reaches the plug 25. I

Assuming that the water supply has been .shut oil and the dry-pipe valve closed, the

parts above described are put into c ondi ion for operation by opening the receptacle 12, which has a removable portion 38, and swinging the lever 16 upward until its upper end rests against the bar 18, the normal position of which is such that when the up per end of the lever 16 is in contact with it said lever is held by gravity against the bar,

with its center of gravity located nearly above its pivot. The valve 15 is then closed weighted upper end of the lever 16 tends to move under the action of gravity said lever will merely follow the bar and will ultimately be restored to its normal position as soon as the pressure within the receptacle 22, and therefore within the bellows 20, is equalized with that in the sprinkler pipe system. -The water supply is then turned on and water under the supply pressure immediately enters the receptacle 12 through the pipe 14, but no change in the position of the barlS results because the water pressure acts equally on the exteriors of both the bel lows 19 and20, so that the lever 16 retains its normal position and the valve 15 remains closed.

The system having thus been putin its normal or static condition, a slow reduction of pressure in the sprinkler pipe system, such as may result from a leak, will have no effect on thebar 18, becausethe pressures within the bellows 19 and 20. will diminish at the samerate, but a quick reduction of pressure such as results from the opening of one or more sprinkler heads will unbalance the pressures within the bellows 19 and 20 as-above explained, and the resulting lateral movement of the bar '18 will carry the upper end of thelever 16 past its dead-center position, whereupon said lever will fall and in falling will acquire suificient kinetic energy to open the valve 15 against the water pressure in the receptacle l2. Thereupon s a1d pressure will mmed ately be made effective 1n the intermediate chamber 10 by the passage of water at the service pressure through the pipe 13, the drip valve 11 will automatically close and the pressures acting on the water valve 7 above andbelow it will immediately be equalized, and consequently the dry-pipe valve as a whole will become in effect a mere check valve and will be opened by the service pressure, even though the air pressure in the sprinkler pipe system" has been but slightly reduced, from its normal amount.

It will be seen that the opening of the drypipe valve in the system above described is materially accelerated, as compared with a system in which the valve cannot open until the system pressure which normally holds it closed has become insufficient for that purpose, but the means by which this result is accomplished are not broadly claimed herein, being claimed in my prior application above referred to. The invention forming the subject matter of the present application resides in the features'and combinations hereinafter claimed, relating to the opening of the drypipe valve by the admission of water under pressure to the intermediate chamber, and tot-he pressure-operated devices which respond to a quick drop in pressure in the sprinkler-pipe system. It will be evident that the utility of these devices is not limited to the control of fluid pressure derived from any specific source, and that they may be constructed and combined with the associated parts of a dry-pipe sprinkler system in various ways without departing from my invention.

I claim: 7 v

1. In an automatic sprinkler system, the combinationof a dry-pipe valve normally held closed by fluid pressure in. the system and comprising an air valve, a water valve and an intermediate chamber, and means operative upon the opening of one or more sprinkler heads for admitting water under pressure to the intermediate chamber.

.2. In an automatic sprinkler system, the combination of a dry-pipe valve normally held closed by fluid pressure in the system and comprising an air valve, a water valve and an intermediate chamber, connections between the intermediate chamber and the water supply system, a normally-closed valve controlling said connections, and means operative upon the opening of one lon or more sprinkle'r'headsim opening the lattervalve. y

3. In an automatic sprinkler system, the combination 0f a f dry-pipe valve normally held closed byfiuid pressurein thesystem and comprising an air valve, a water valve and or an intermediate chamber, connections between the intermediate chamber and the water supply system, a normally-closed valve controlling said connections, and means rendered operative by a quick reduction butnot by a slow reduction of the system pressure for opening the latter valve. l. In an automatic sprinkler system, the combination with a dry-pipe valve of two pressure-operated devices separately connected to the sprinkler pipe system on the distributing side of the dry pipe valve, flowrestricting means included in the connections leading to one of said devices, a mem-:

ber connected to said devices and movable thereby when said devices are subjected to different pressures, a connection leading to the intermediate chamber of the dry pipe valve from a source of fluid pressure other than the'pressure on the distributing side of the dry pipe valve, means normally maintaining the last said connection closed, and means operated by said movable member for effecting the opening ofthe last said connection, thereby to effect opening of the dry pipe valve. i I

5. In an automatic sprinkler system, the

' combination with a dry-pipe valve of two expansible devices separately connected to ,the sprinkler pipe system on the distributing side of the dry pipe valve and adapted to expand in opposite directions on increase ,of the internal pressure therein, flow-restricting means included 1n the connections leading to one of said devices, a movable member interposed between said devices and connected thereto, a connection leading to the intermediate chamber from a source of fluid pressure other than the pressure on the distributing side of the dry pipe valve, means normally maintaining the last said connection closed, and means operated by said movable member for effecting the opening of the last said connection, thereby to effect opening of the dry pipe valve. I

6. In an automatic sprinkler system, the combination with a dry-pipe valve of two pressure-operated devices each consisting substantially of a cylindrical bellows, con nections leading from the interior of each bellows to the sprinkler pipe system on the distributing side of the dry pipe valve,

flow-restricting means included in one of said connections, a movable member adapted to be operated by said bellows when subjected internally to different pressures, a source of fluid pressure other than the air pressure of the sprinkler system, having connection with the intermediate chamber of taining the last said connection closed,- iand means operated by said movable member for effecting the opening of the last said connection, thereby to effect opening of the my pipe valve. v -i 1 I 7; In an automatic sprinkler system, the

combination of a dry-pipe valve normally held closed by fluid pressure in the systemand comprising an air valve, a water valve and an intermediate chamber, normallyclosed connections between the intermediate chamber and the water supply system, two pressure-operated devices separately connected to the sprinkler pipe system, flowrestricting means included inone of the latter connections, and meansoperated by said device for opening the connections between theintermediate chamber and the water supply system; V v

8. In. an automatic sprinkler system, the combination of, a dry-pipe valve normally held closed by fluid pressure in the system on the distributing side ofthe drypipe valve and comprising an air valve, a watervalve and an intermediate chamber, a receptacle connected to the intermediate chamber and to a'supply of fluid under rpressure'other than-the pressure holding the dry pipe valve closed, a normally-closed valve located in said receptacle and controlling said connections, two. bellows contained in said receptacle and separately connected internally to the sprinkleripipe system, flowrestricting means included in the connections leading to one of the bellows, a movable member connected to said bellows, and

means operated bysaid movable member for a opening the last-mentioned valve.

9. In an automatic sprinkler system,'the combination of a dry-pipe va'lve normally held'closed by fluid pressure in the system and comprising an air valve, a water "valve and an intermediate chamber, a receptacleconnected to-the intermediate chamber and to the water supply system, a normally-' closed valve, located in said receptacle and controlling said connections, two bellows contained in said receptacle andoseparatelyconnected internally to the sprinkler pipe system, flow-restricting means included in the connectionsleading to one of the bellows, a Weighted arm normally maintained in elevated position and arranged to open the last-mentionedvalve when it falls, and a movable member connected to the bellows and adapted to operate said weighted arm.

10. In an automatic sprinkler system, the

Y combination with a dry pipe valve of two sfluid pressure-operated devices separately connected to thesprinkler pipe system and opposing each other; flow-restricting means included in the connection leading to one of said devices; a movable member adapted to bemoved by, one of said devices when said devices are subjected to different pressures; a conduit to the intermediate chamber of the dry pipe valve for fluid under pressure; a valve controlling said conduit; and means operated by said movable member for opening said conduit valve and thereby effecting the opening ofthe dry pipe valve; the Whole being arranged With said fluid pressurein the conduit neutral in its effect on the said movable member. I

Signed at Providence, Rhode Island, this 22nd dayof November, 1923.

' ALBERT J. LOEPSINGER. 

